Quick question from a first time mead maker. I left my mead in primary for about two weeks (mostly because I was out of town) and then racked it a few days ago. About how long should I expect to wait until it clears / should I rack multiple times to help clearing?

Also, be careful not to agitate the mead too much when you rack so that you reduce the chance that you will oxygenate it.

When you rack (auto-siphon is my preferred tool), cheat the nozzle to the side of the carboy keeping it as close to the bottom/liquid level as possible to avoid any splash.

Also, I would imagine the time it takes to clear would depend on the amount of diffused solids in the honey itself. You can use chemicals to clear it, but personally, I'd rather rely on gravity and patience. My show mead took almost 2 months to clarify to the point it was like a white wine, but the honey I use is unprocessed, straight from the farm.

Drinking mead too soon is a seriously BAD idea. For anything under 14%, I'd not bottle for at least 8-9 months (don't care what a recipe says, they lie). In the 14-18% range, go 10-14 months before bottling. 18-21%, go 18-24 months before bottling. Above 21% you'll want to go as long as it takes.

The time frames for mead are no where near those for beer you normally brew. Unless you're normally brewing beers in the 14-21%+ range.

BTW, a mead can take several months to become clear. It can take a year, or more, depending on the ingredients and yeast used. I would carefully rack no more than once every 2-5 months. Also, the longer you bulk age it the better. It gives you more time to adjust the batch if needed. Once its in bottles, you're locked into it.

Meh. Drink it when you want. It's true, the flavor profile can change, and also true that higher-test batches take longer to age, but if you open a bottle and like it, there's no reason not to drink it and open another.

I started my first mead in the early part of may. It was a 3 lb per gallon with some ginger and brown sugar along the way. It sat in the primary for probably 6 weeks. I've racked 2 times now and its incredibly clear. I'm bulk ageing in the carboys, and I may rack one more time, depending on if it needs it or not